Free agency could cure Browns’ ailing secondary | Jeff Schudel

Free agency in the NFL begins on March 14, and with more than $100 million in salary cap room, the Browns will have a golden opportunity to patch holes in their leaky secondary.

The 28 touchdown passes the Browns allowed in 2017 were 4.8 more than the league average. Only five teams allowed more TDs through the air, though if you want to look for a silver lining, the Browns gave up just two touchdown passes over their last three games. That won’t change their mission to aggressively improve the defensive backfield, however.

The Browns intercepted only seven passes while throwing 28 interceptions. Only the Oakland Raiders, with five picks, had fewer.

Among the players the Browns could chase are cornerback Trumaine Johnson and free safety Lamarcus Joyner. Both are from the Rams and both were coached by current Browns defensive coordinator Gregg Williams from 2014-16.

Johnson was given the franchise tag by the Rams in 2016 and 2017. He will not come cheaply. He is 28 years old. He started 15 games last season, intercepted two passes, forced a fumble, recovered one and broke up 13 passes. He has 18 career interceptions.

Rosenthal and Wesseling rank Joyner, 27, one notch behind Johnson in their overall free agency ratings with this scouting report:

“Every team could use a player like Joyner, a former cornerback who is comfortable covering the slot, playing the deep part of the field and tackling well at the line of scrimmage. He’s like Honey Badger in Arizona (Tyrann Mathieu), without the cool nickname.”

Joyner started and played in 12 games last season. The 5-foot-8, 184-pounder from Florida State picked in the second round of 2014 intercepted three passes last season. The Browns are looking for a free safety so they can move Jabrill Peppers closer to the line of scrimmage.

Bashaud Breeland of the Washington Redskins is another possibility if the Browns go cornerback hunting. Breeland, drafted from Clemson in the fourth round of 2014 by the Redskins, has started 57 of the 60 games he has played in four years. He broke up 19 passes last season, has eight career interceptions and seven forced fumbles. He made one interception in 2017 and returned it 96 yards for a touchdown.

“I haven’t gotten that publicity, but I feel like with my confidence level and how I believe in myself, I feel like I’m a top corner in this league,” Breeland told the Washington Post near the end of the 2017 season. “I’m just not one of those players that’s flashy, that’s going to make the flashy play that you want to see, you know what I’m saying? Really, what I do, I bring a lot more to the table — physicality, tackling. I’m a tackling corner. And I play my guy. I make plays.”

The Browns desperately need a cornerback with the fundamental skill to tackle receivers and running backs.

Eric Reid from the 49ers is a 26-year-old safety who has battled through injuries. A torn biceps in 2016 forced him to miss six games. He missed three games with a knee injury in 2017.

Reid had two interceptions and four pass breakups in 2017. Reid is listed as a free safety, but he played strong safety last year before losing his starting job to Jaquiski Tartt.

Though free agency officially begins on March 14, teams can start negotiating with free agents on March 12. Expect the Browns to move fast when the bell sounds on March 14 to officially ring in the new league year.